


The Stars

by R_S_B



Series: Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground [1]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Academy Era, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 22:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_S_B/pseuds/R_S_B
Summary: Philippa never got along with the upperclassman assigned as her mentor at the Academy until they bonded under the stars.





	The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Story One in Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground, following Philippa and Katrina throughout their lives.

“What are you doing out here, Philippa?”

Her head jerked up, eye snapping away from the eyepiece of the telescope and automatically moving towards the voice.

Cadet Cornwell stood in the doorway to the roof, long, straight hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, hand on her hip. The pips on her collar, those of a third year student at Starfleet Academy, shone in the light from the doorway.

Philippa bristled at the question, but she fought the impulse to get defensive. She looked away from Cornwell, and brought her eye back to the telescope. “Looking at the stars.”

“You know you’re not supposed to be up here.” The voice was moving closer, and Philippa imagined Cornwell walking closer in her head, but she didn’t look up and didn’t respond. She didn’t want to give Cornwell the satisfaction. Especially since she was right. Philippa knew very well that she wasn’t supposed to be on the roof -- first year students didn’t get many privileges. But this was the tallest building on campus, and it made for the best viewing with her telescope.

Cornwell was close enough that Philippa could hear her footsteps now. She stopped next to Philippa. “Mind if I join?”

Philippa blinked in surprise and looked up at Cornwell standing next to her. “Of course not.”

Cornwell sat down next to her and looked up the sky and Philippa didn’t know what to do. Philippa had assumed she was here to lecture her. It certainly didn’t seem like Cadet Cornwell to be so casual about late night rule breaking.

“What are you doing here, Cornwell?” she finally asked.

Cornwell looked away from the sky and looked at Philippa. “I heard about what happened today.”

 _There it is_. “Wonderful. Are you going to lecture me too?”

Cornwell looked at her incredulously. “You yelled at a professor! You called him a ‘useless, ancient, xenophobic windbag!”

“He _is_ a useless, ancient, xenophobic windbag!”

Cornwell rolled her eyes. “Of course he is! Professor Lang is an asshole! But you can’t just _say_ it!” Philippa groaned and Cornwell shook her head. “You can’t yell at professors and not expect consequences!”

Philippa sneered. “He failed me! It’s not fair!”

Cornwell rolled her eyes again and it made Philippa want to smack her. “It _is_ fair!” she insisted. “You yelled at a professor! Stop breaking the rules!”

Philippa huffed. “So says you,” she muttered.

“What the hell does _that_ mean?” Cornwell bit out. “Look, I know we haven’t really clicked, but I’m supposed to be your mentor and I’m _trying_ to help. You’re a good student, Philippa, and you’ll be a great officer, but not if you get kicked out for talking back to professors.”

Philippa harrumphed, then looked at her suspiciously. “You think I’m a good student?”

Cornwell looked at her like she was being an idiot, and Philippa hated her for making her feel stupid even when she was saying something nice. “Of course!”

Philippa’s mouth worked for a moment. “Then why are you always lecturing me?”

“I’m trying to help you!”

Philippa snorted. “Well, you aren’t doing a very good job.”

Cornwell looked at her in surprise, then her face broke into a smile and she started laughing. Philippa was struck by the absurdity of the situation, and she began to laugh too. The quiet rooftop filled with the noise of their unbridled laughter, breaking through the tension that had built up between them in the months since Philippa had started at the Academy.  When they were finally out of breath and the laughter petered out, Cornwell scooted closer to the telescope. “So what were you looking at? Where did you even get this ancient thing?”

Philippa rolled her eyes but launched into an explanation about her family’s telescope, which led to an explanation about how people in the past used lens or mirrors to see the stars before the advanced sensors used by Starfleet had been developed.

“Wow,” Cornwell whispered, looking at Io through the eyepiece.

Philippa took a breath. “Look, Cornwell--”

“Philippa,” Cornwell interrupted with a small laugh, “I think when we’re breaking the rules together you could at least call me Katrina.”

“Fine. _Katrina_. I just think it’s unfair--”

She pulled back from the telescope, raising her hands placatingly. “I know--look. It’s not _about_ that. Sometimes things are unfair. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences!”

“But it was the right thing to do! That old, racist asshole needs to be held account--”

Cornwell cut her off again. “So, what? Do you want a gold star? A reward? That’s not how it works. You want to do the right thing? Great. Don’t do it because you think someone is going to congratulate you for it. Do it because it’s the right thing. But you’ve gotta pick your battles. Professor Lang isn’t worth it. You’ve just gotta pass his class and move on.”

Philippa didn’t know what to say to that, so she just fumed quietly. She was surprised when Cornwell continued. “But… it _was_ pretty awesome. I wish I could have seen the look on his face… “ She looked up dreamily at the sky and Philippa looked at her in surprise.

“What?” Katrina asked, defensively. “I’m not allowed to enjoy seeing that jerk get his ass handed to him?” Philippa chuckled and laid back on the roof. Katrina followed suit and laid down next to her, staring up at the dark sky together. “It’s a hard transition,” she began quietly. “The hierarchy. It’s not for everyone. I can’t tell you the right thing to do. But if you do want to stay, it’s something you have to come to terms with. For me, I’m here to play the game. Because that’s how I get to the top. So if that means I’ve got to bit my tongue sometimes I’m going to do it.” She turned her head towards Philippa. “What are you doing here, Philippa? Why did you join?”

Philippa stared up at the stars and smiled.


End file.
